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With the new year arriving tomorrow I've decided to start a new diary. My old was depressing me, as you could track the debt increasing slowly over time so I'm starting over. Fresh new diary to keep track of my spending and keeping us afloat.

My main aim this year is to stop adding to the debt! No more credit card use or falling into the overdraft at the end of the month. Our debt stands at £16271.56 over two Zopa loans. I'd love to overpay, but the reality at the minute is there's no spare cash as have large expenditure coming up in first half of the year. We have a good income, but money is tight. Have trimmed and cancelled everything I can and without giving the children away, i know we can't cut back anymore.

So this is my plan, it's official and in writing so set in stone for Jan/Feb/Mar
- save £2200 for much needed house repair, have set target needs to be done by MAY
- pay as much as possible off kids school trips £200 / £384 owed
- save £50 a month towards an emergency fund £400 target
- save £50 a month towards christmas, to avoid panic next year and hope to increase
- withdraw £75 a week to food wallet and only spend cash on food - hope to decrease shopping budget massively, use up freezer supplies and get inventive with my meals.
- only shop once a week and stop 'topping' co-op and meal plan
- declutter and sell, sell, sell
- try and look for a part time job to fit around my current role
-have as many NSD as possible - at least 20 a month

Need to stay focused, meal plan and keep logging on here for motivation. Right choccy....this is my kick up botty you need!

Happy New Year!

Always counting down to pay day, but making baby steps getting life on track! Looking forward to cracking the debt once and for all.

Hi choccygirl just caught up with your diary. We usually eat crap on Fridays same as you and watch a film but this week we just had our usual planned meal and baked some cakes . Good luck with your plans for the month - our kids went back really early compared to others it seems. Day after new years day my son went back

That seems mega early Storm. Ours have the shortest 5 week term - which is crazy. Saying that I'm ready for the break already.

Well today has definitely been a spend day with hubby's car in the garage for the MOT. Good news it passed £39.95 well spent, the bad news is we needed a £90 to get it through. The other rear tyre had an advisory, but that bad boy can wait a couple of months.

Nothing changed, still skint! I have been thinking thought today I'm going to try and push my food shop until Monday / Tuesday. It's not set in stone we go every Saturday, just a habit. I'm hoping by leaving it a couple of days or so I'll get more things cleared from the cupboard store and freezer.

We had a lovely S&S turkey tonight and there was too much meat for just one meal. Stew in meal plan is pushed back and we'll have turkey curry and rice tomorrow. I was planning on the stew lasting two days, but love my Sunday roast. Stew is now on next's weeks menu.

By switching the meals around and making the most of the freezer/cupboard stocks that'll be 4 'free' evening meals. The stew is a great way to get rid of any leftover fresh veg too. I've got fresh salad for the chicken wraps which will need to be finished by weekend. I'm going to see how far we can push it along into next week before I buy anymore food. The fruit bowl has taken a battering, but still loads left.

On a positive note we've just received our mortgage renewal paperwork and we've just fallen under 47k outstanding, so I'm a happy bunny! It's a good reminder why we need to get our act together to get rid of the loans, so we can overpay the mortgage and finally be mortgage free.

Right, it's penny-pinching choccy from now on this month. Roll on pay day in approx 2 weeks.

Last edited by Choccygirl123; 10-01-2018 at 6:40 PM.

Always counting down to pay day, but making baby steps getting life on track! Looking forward to cracking the debt once and for all.

I'm with you there. Payday for my husband is 31st January as he's paid the last Wednesday of the month! That's amazing about the mortgage - you'll be off to the mortgage free wannabe forum before you know it. We've still got about 28 years left on ours and a lot of money haha but we bought it when I was 21 and I'm 27 now so not really been here long.
Love the meal plan

Thanks storm don!!!8217;t worry about your mortgage - you!!!8217;re still really young! I hit the big 40 last year and still trying to forget it! I do know I want to be debt free and mortgage free by the time I!!!8217;m 50.

I!!!8217;ve not had much time for a diary catch up, but will pop by and say hello when I do. I hope you!!!8217;re having more luck than me at the minute x

Always counting down to pay day, but making baby steps getting life on track! Looking forward to cracking the debt once and for all.

I reduced my work hours last year in an attempt to regain control of my home life and help rebalance my mental health.

Since then itís amazing how much my life has changed. The house, itís cleaner and tidier, thereís a meal plan in place and I finally feel in control of our money. I now have time to think and plan. I do wonder how I managed juggling the kids, work and life in general. The downside was the dramatic cut in wages (roughly 1/3) but my well being canít have a price. Hubby and children seem a lot more settled and happier and suspose thatís a direct link to me being happier.

Iím still trying to get into a routine with household chores and my ironing basket is like the magic porridge pot. I feel like Iíve had a light bulb moment today, itís not all about money. Itís about life and having the right balances. I have a loving family, a beautiful home and Iím in good health mentally and physically. Iím very fortunate and I should be thankful more often. Iím going to try and post a positIve non money related note every time I make a diary note to remind me money isnít life

Ps will be another much needed none spend day today #6 in jan

Always counting down to pay day, but making baby steps getting life on track! Looking forward to cracking the debt once and for all.

Had a busy morning yesterday and today and i've moved 6 direct debits payment dates, so they all come out of our joint account within first two days of the month. I find budgeting so hard when you don't know if all bills etc have been paid in the middle of the month. I've often come stuck and forgotten about the phone contracts eeek.

I've managed to sell another £10 bundle of games on the Facebook site and the lady is hopefully collecting tonight.

Hopefully is all collected and friend collects that'll be approx £65 in cash in my wallet. I've got a couple of sales from pre-christmas still to pay on ebay fees so will take that cash out and pay using joint account.

Always counting down to pay day, but making baby steps getting life on track! Looking forward to cracking the debt once and for all.

My positive note today - I've had a lovely long lie-in until 9:15 and I'm finally feeling on the mend

Sales are doing well on the declutter. £10 for the games bagged into my EF last night - total is now £40

Sold a collectable star wars thing on ebay (was given it few by a friend who was going to take it to the tip) for £25+postage. The buyer paid straight away, so i've cleared the £11.25 ebay fees on my account and transfered the £15.94 to the joint account. I've got the postage to come out of that, but it's a little towards paying off the overdraft when we unavoidably hit it later in the month.

The good news is that the other £29 that's being collected tomorrow is all cash in the EF wallet. That will mean the total will be £69 as have paid ebay fees from stars war sale.

I do have a decision to make. Do i add that to the EF bank account (already saved my planned £50 this month) or do i add to joint account to reduce the OD? I think the sensible choice to to reduce the OD as I'm sick of having it hanging over us every month. It's a big chunk of 'extra' money so need to be sensible.

Today will be a NSD again, as can't be bother to go to the post office this morning! That's number 7!

Last edited by Choccygirl123; 13-01-2018 at 10:07 AM.

Always counting down to pay day, but making baby steps getting life on track! Looking forward to cracking the debt once and for all.

Ebayer arrived 30minutes early and told me to keep the £1 change, bless her. She was so lovely and it's another bundle out the house! It takes my cash sales wallet to £70 made this year. The plan was to put it in the EF, but knowing we'll dip into the overdraft possibly next week I've decided to do the sensible thing and use it for food shopping instead. It's been another 'ONE OF THOSE MONTHS" I normally do a weekly shop, but this week i'm on a store cupboard and freezer blitz and will just buy odds and ends to pad out the stock.

I know we'll need milk, carrots and potatoes this week so will collect those today at the local farm shop, when i meet up with my best friend for a mooch around the garden centre. It's a little bit more expensive than aldi, but normally around same price as co-op. I've got just under £4 left from last week's shopping budget, so should nearly cover the mini shop today.

No doubt we'll have coffee and a cake this afternoon, but that spending comes out of my own account. I've around £200 sat in there as i've not bought any clothes for months and only spending has been hubbies xmas. When we married we decided we should both have a small account to keep some money just for us. It works well and I don't feel guilty if i buy new work shoes or lunches etc out with friends. Hubby has the same amount every month as I do and it equals out the huge pay gap. It works well for us.

Always counting down to pay day, but making baby steps getting life on track! Looking forward to cracking the debt once and for all.

Sounds like things are going well. I've had that lightbulb moment too . I don't know if it's January that does it to us? makes us really appreciate what we have around us . Well done on all the selling, I've given up on that because people never end up buying haha.

Selling us hard going abd I find it!!!8217;s the junk and crap that sells but nice kids clothes that don!!!8217;t. I just don!!!8217;t understand it, but I!!!8217;m hoping to get few more bits listed.

Had a lovely day with my bestie abd her kids. I spent £12.25 at the farm shop which included huge bag of spuds, carrots, 3x cakes , 2x bottles coke and 6 posh granary bread buns fir lunch tomorrow. Chuffed with that as thought it!!!8217;d be a trip to cafe and £20 later. We sat outside on picnic benches watching the rabbits.

Back to work tomorrow after a catch up with another friend I!!!8217;ve not seen in ages. Going to pay kids Xmas money into their savings account abd going to ask if we can upgrade those accounts and I can scrap their Osper cards - which will save me £24 a year in fees.

Always counting down to pay day, but making baby steps getting life on track! Looking forward to cracking the debt once and for all.

Managed to survived blue Monday and had lovely catch up with friends. £2 for a pot of tea - which was from my gift card. Food shop of sandwich bits, milk etc £11.01 out of the £70 selling junk stash.

Today has been a NSD #8 was due to meet another friend st the pub (lunch abd coffee) but invited her here instead do saced £12ish our my own spends.

Sold another item £3 on Facebook group. Will add to food wallet as overdraft looming, still in credit but only Just.

Have had some great news my pothole damage tyre and alloy claim fir months ago will be settled and the cash hopefully in my account my Wednesday next week. With s bit of luck this will definitely get us into the black until payday, but I!!!8217;m not going mad. It!!!8217;s save, save and save!

Always counting down to pay day, but making baby steps getting life on track! Looking forward to cracking the debt once and for all.

Have just placed another bargain meat order to fill the freezer up again. I've been using muscle foods for a few months now and the chicken is beautiful. Great value and constant offers to save you money. If you order using my referral code you can chose a free item worth roughly £5.

I've just bagged the new year deal with a free hamper worth £10. If you need any more information, please send me a pm and i'm happy to answer any questions.

Well yesterday should have been a NSD, but it started off with a trip to A&E with the youngest. Nothing broken, but £2 for a bottle of water and hot chocolate ruined my plan. Didn't pay for parking so that was a bonus! I placed my meat order which is out for delivery tomorrow. That'll fill some of the gaps in the freezer on the cheap.

I had a bit of admin catch up day and called Sky for a 96p refund on my old account from 2010! The lady laughed and said ooh big refund, but i figure better in my pocket than theirs. Finally called the vets for the refund from the pooch's op - their admin department will call me tomorrow but that's another £15 on it's way.

I've sold another item on ebay and should make around £5 profit after fees, so off to drop that in at the post office and this is my only spend. I've updated my sales sheet for the total so far and we're around the £96 mark. Chuffed to bits and just thinking of the extra space in the house now!

Things are slowing getting there and i spoke to my mortgage advisor who is looking at new deals for us. I think he'll be able to save us a few pounds and the extra will go into the savings pot. I've talked hubby into reducing our 'pocket money' for 3months. We have £200 me / £220 him for all clothes, presents, socialising, hobbies etc. It's a lot of money every month, but at least we don't dig into the joint and it keeps our spends fair. He's quite happy to go out with the lads and blow £80 on beer, food and taxi. I'd rather have coffee, cake and natter for £5.

That'll give us an extra £360 over the 3months, which is go in the savings pot. We are getting there and I feel like we're making good progress. We just need to keep on track and continue the selling too!

Last edited by Choccygirl123; 18-01-2018 at 11:30 AM.

Always counting down to pay day, but making baby steps getting life on track! Looking forward to cracking the debt once and for all.

Haven!!!8217;t been well (full of cold again) last couple of days and I!!!8217;ve not been checking my accounts etc. It!!!8217;s a slippery slope, so I!!!8217;m back at it today.

I registered for ClearScore abd it!!!8217;s anazing! It shows credit rating abd every account etc I love it! It!!!8217;s very user friendly. My current rating is 507/700 which I thought was low. Average in our area is 443 so it can!!!8217;t be that bad.

I have noticed that my credit limit was £14500 which shocked me! I not sure if your available credit affects your rating and a lot of it was just sat there. I!!!8217;ve reduced two unused 2 overdrafts down to £500 each abd my next account from
£5000 to £750. Never use this account either, but nice to have the luxury of ordering sake items without paying for 4 items, when you know you've ordered for choice and 3 will go back.

Postitive note : It's friday and i'm really in need of a long lazy weekend!

Last edited by Choccygirl123; 19-01-2018 at 8:37 AM.

Always counting down to pay day, but making baby steps getting life on track! Looking forward to cracking the debt once and for all.

I did a declutter before christmas and was amazed by what sold and what didn't. Having said that though, I got rid of an old tablet that went for a stupid amount and also my old ipod. Both had been sitting in the cupboard doing nothing for years,so it was good to clear the space and make some money. I found collecting things over time into a big bag, then listing them all in one go worked well for me and I managed about £300 after fees, which is fantastic. I will do the same again in the spring, but without tech items it won't be such a large amount. I found stupid things like free samples of cosmetics sell well and I had loads sitting in a drawer. It is time consuming and you do get the odd awkward buyer but it is worth it in the end both for the financial gain and for the empty space.

I never have any luck with selling . I only really have kids clothes but people want to pay pennies for them and with fees it's not been worth selling them. I may try again when I have a bit more but I've been scarred and disheartened by it all haha. Sorry you're feeling poorly choccy , I know loads of people with the lurgy at the moment, germs seem a lot worse this year like they've mutated haha.

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